Mobile computing devices including smartphones and digital audio players include powerful multimedia capabilities. One popular use for such devices is for organizing and playing audio recordings. Since audio loudspeakers included with these devices tend to be small, like the devices themselves, the sound output is limited and often inadequate.
This inadequacy of built-in speakers leads users to attach headphones to a mobile device's headphone jack to listen to audio. Headphones are limiting in that it is difficult for more than one person to listen to audio from a single set of headphones. Moreover, headphones can prevent users from hearing other environmental sounds and conversing with other people. Headphones are often regarded as anti-social when used around others.
A traditional docking station is a desktop accessory that provides a place to set a mobile device when it is not being used and/or the owner of the device is not mobile. Most docking stations have an AC connection built in and will charge the device while it is set in the docking station. Such docking stations are not typically designed to allow unhindered device use when a mobile device is in the docking station. However, some docking stations have speakers built into them to amplify audio from a mobile device.